The Raid of Omashu
by razgriz108
Summary: Bk4 Ch3, The Phoenix Order has attacked Omashu. Her former king has just passed away right when his city needed him the most. Can the Avatar hold back the invaders until reinforcements arrive? K/A, M/Z, S/S, T/T
1. Dramatis Personae

_**AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER**_

_**Book IV: Air, Chapter 3**_

_**The Raid of Omashu**_

_**Dramatis Personae**_

**Team Avatar**

Aang, Avatar/Master Airbender, human male, from the Southern Air Temple

Appa, male sky bison, from the Eastern Air Temple

Katara, Master Waterbender, human female, from the Southern Water Tribe

Momo, male flying lemur, from the Southern Air Temple

Sokka, Warrior, human male, from the Southern Water Tribe

Toph Bei Fong, Master Earthbender, from Gaoling

**Kyoshi Warriors**

Suki, Warrior, human female, from Kyoshi Island

Ty Lee, Warrior/Acrobat, human female, from Ember Island

**Fire Nation**

Mai, Fire Lady/Warrior, human female, from Ranshao (Fire Nation Capital)

Piett, Captain-_ FNS Dragon's Fire_/Firebender, human male, from Shu Jing

Zuko, Fire Lord/Master Firebender/Swordsman, human male, from Ranshao

**Avatar allies**

Longshot, human male, from the Earth Kingdom

The Mechanist, human male, from the Northern Air Temple

Smellerbee, human female, from the Earth Kingdom

Teo, human male, from the Northern Air Temple

Tyro, Earthbender, human male, from the Mining Village

**Phoenix Order**

Azula, Master Firebender, human female, from Ranshao

Bujing, General/Firebender, human male, from Hing Wa Island

Kurzon, General/Firebender, human male, from Ember Island

Shinu, General/Firebender, human male, from Kirachu Island

Xiang, Lt. Colonel- C Company/Firebender, human male, from Kirachu Island

_Avatar: the Last Airbender_ belongs to Nickelodeon, Viacom, Bryan Konietzko, and Mike DiMartino


	2. Part 1

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the Four Nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world._

**AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER**

Created by  
Michael Dante DiMartino

Brian Konietzko

PREVIOUSLY ON AVATAR:

"_Omashu is too public to mount an effective raid, and Bujing would never be able to command one successfully."_

"_You plan on sacrificing Bujing and his men to act as a diversion, so I will be able to act unnoticed."_

"_Your new assignment is to train a select group of recruits into elite SpecOps units… This task is of vital importance if we are to retake our rightful place as rulers of this world."_

"_Assemble your men and support troops, however many you need, and load them onto the tank-trains. You leave in two hours."_

"_The Fire Nation isn't the bad guy any more!"_

"_Then why did two tank trains plow through here an hour before you showed up!"_

"_It's Bumi. He's dead."_

"_The Phoenix King has invited you to Lake Laogai." "I am honored to accept his invitation."_

"_Sokka, I love you, and I always have."_

"_By this time tomorrow, the Phoenix flag shall be hoisted atop this city, the Phoenix Order city of New Ozai!"_

"_These Phoenixes are invading your home, threatening your families. Will you let them do that?" "NO!" "Then let's go!"_

"_Welcome to the Northern Air Temple."_

"_Ready the Air Force! Load the airships with as many troops, artillery and tanks as you can! We leave in two hours!"_

"_With you dead, the world will think that dear Zu-Zu ordered you to be executed, which will further cause more anti-Fire Nation sentiment and will cause Phoenix support in the Fire Nation to double."_

"_Azula, you are strong indeed. I have never been more proud of you, my daughter. You are truly worthy of the throne."_

"_I will continue to make you proud, Father. I promise you."_

**Book 4- Air**

_**Chapter 3: The Raid of Omashu**_

Aang flew over the city and saw the Phoenix tank-trains pounding on the northern wall. He swooped down and landed near some of Omashu's home defense troops. "Who's in charge here?" he asked. An Earth Kingdom Captain raised his hand. "That would be me, Avatar."

"Captain, have your men seal off the upper levels of the city here and here." Using his staff, he drew an overhead map of Omashu to illustrate his orders. "Set up checkpoints at these gates here and evacuate the civilians to the upper levels." "Yes sir," the captain said. He looked at his men. "You heard the Avatar! Move people!" The troops began erecting walls that sealed the access points to the upper levels of the city. Aang took to the skies again and watched, waiting for the inevitable breach in the northern wall.

****

Sokka set the skysailer down on the Northern Air Temple's main landing strip. It seemed that the pavilion might have actually been designed for that very purpose, since it was wide, open, and free from any obstructions. Beside the sailer, Teo expertly landed his glider. Once he skidded to a stop, airfield attendants came and lifted the wing assembly off of Teo's chair, allowing him to roam freely on the ground.

"Hey guys. Long time, no see!" he said, wheeling in front of the motley crew. "Hey Teo," Sokka said. "You've already met Toph," "'Sup," she said. "The quiet one is Longshot and the tomboy there is Smellerbee." "What was that, Pony Tail?" Smellerbee demanded, holding a dagger point to Sokka's chin. "Nothing!" "That's what I thought!" Sokka breathed a sigh of relief. "What brings you all to the Northern Air Temple." "It's a long story, Teo," Sokka said. "Why don't you take us to your father, and I'll explain on the way." Teo shrugged. "Okay with me."

Smellerbee piped up. "Hey, Teo?" she asked. "What's up?" he said. "Where's the most secluded spot in the temple?" Sokka slapped his head while Toph folded her arms and blew her hair out of her face. Teo seemed to be oblivious, and thought about it. "Well, nobody really goes down into the lower levels," he said. Smellerbee and Longshot grinned at each other. "But, that's probably because of the rotten egg smell. Dad uses the lower levels to age the eggs before he puts them in the natural gas tanks."

The two Freedom Fighters' grins disappeared. Sokka put a hand on Smellerbee's shoulder. "Let me help you out there," he said. "Are there any spare guest rooms for these two to crash? The trip here wore them out." "Yeah, down the hall to your right, then up three stories. There are plenty of rooms for you." Smellerbee mouthed 'Thank you' at Sokka, and pulled Longshot after her. "Ugh," said Toph.

***

"So, you're here to design an airship?" Teo asked. "Yep," Sokka replied. "Think he'll be interested?" Teo snorted. "You kidding?" he laughed. "He's been dying to invent something new ever since the war ended!" BOOOM! "Sounds like your dad's busy enough to me," Toph snorted. "Oh, he's probably tinkering with some sort of steam engine again," Teo said. "Here we are."

Teo opened the door and found his father covered in soot, his eyebrows smoking. "Hey Dad, brought some friends." The Mechanist rubbed the soot out of his eyes and blinked. "Sokka?" "It's good to see you, Mechanist," Sokka said as he extended his hand. "Sokka, my boy! It is you!" exclaimed the Mechanist. He took Sokka's hand and shook it vigorously. "What brings you here?" he asked. "Well, Appa's getting too old to fly Aang across the world, so Zuko, Suki and I decided that Aang needed an airship." "An airship? Doesn't the Fire Nation have, what, around sixty of those?" "Fifty actually, but Aang needs his own airship, one that is a completely new design." The Mechanist's eyes widen in anticipation. "New design?" he asked. "That's right," Sokka said. The two began eagerly discussing the specifications of the new design.

_Ugh! _Toph thought. _These two windbags are going to go at it for hours! _ She felt a three-legged chair not far from her. _My feet could use a rest_. She walked over and sat down. She noted that this chair was padded. _Hmm, if this is what all of the temple's chairs feel like, I'm gonna love this place! _ Then, Toph heard the chair speak. "Uh, Toph," it said. "Can I help you?" Toph felt her cheeks begin to burn as she realized just exactly what she was sitting on. She felt Sokka and the Mechanist staring at her. "This isn't a chair, is it?" "Toph," Sokka asked, "Why are you sitting on Teo?" Toph bolted up and said, "Um, I thought he felt comfortable?" Sokka and the Mechanist looked at each other, then cracked up. Teo blushed, and Toph quietly slipped out of the room.

Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon


	3. Part 2

"General!" the XO said. "What is it, Major?" General Bujing asked. "We've breached the outer wall of Omashu, and C Company reports that they have broken through to the lower ring of the city." "Very good, Major," the general replied. The major saluted, then turned back to his post.

"Communications!" the general barked. "Yessir!" the lieutenant responded. "Issue these orders to all tank train commanders," Bujing ordered. The lieutenant open a channel to each of the tank trains' bridges. "You're on, General," he told him. The general cleared his throat, and then began issuing orders. "Men, we have broken trough the outer wall. As soon as your tank train enters the city, form up with your company, and then move on to your assigned targets.

"A Company will be led by me, and we will push forward and break through to the middle ring. B Company will be led by Colonel Chang and will fan out and hunt down any Dai Li resistance on the lower ring. Once A Company has broken through, B Company will follow and clear the middle ring, as well as the upper ring. C Company will be led by Lt. Colonel Xiang and will capture the cities only airfield. Any questions?" No one spoke up. "Very well. You have your assignments, Bujing out." The general motioned for the comm officer to cut the channel. "By this time tomorrow," Bujing said to himself. "I will plant the Phoenix flag on top of the palace. This I swear."

****

_What were you thinking? _Toph thought to herself. She was sitting on a balcony just outside the Mechanist's lab, her feet dangling over the edge. _Of all the stupid things you could have done, you just had to had to do the stupidest one, didn't you! _ Irritably, she blew her bangs out of her face and tried to calm down. Unfortunately for her, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Uh, hey Toph." "EEP!" Toph shrieked, completely unaware that someone had snuck up on her. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded as she assumed a defensive stance. "Whoa, easy now!" the voice said. "It's me." Finally, the blind girl recognized the voice. "Teo?" she asked. "The one and only," he said. "Sorry if I startled you." Toph was going to yell at him for sneaking up on her like that, but she stopped herself before she did. _You're the one who was dangling your 'eyes' over the edge, genius_, she thought. Instead, she sat back down, feet on the ground this time. "It's alright. I was the one who wasn't looking. So, why are you out here?" she asked.

Teo nervously scratched the back of his head. "Well, Sokka and my dad started talking about their ideas for the airship, and…" he faded off. "And what?" Toph asked. "Well, you know how my dad is. Once you start him on an invention, he can't stop," he said. Toph nodded in understanding. "I think I know a certain Water Tribe warrior who fits that description, too." Teo laughed nervously. "Exactly! Anyway, once they started brainstorming, I ceased to exist." "Yeah, I know the feeling," Toph said, her thoughts drifting back to her unrequited crush on Sokka.

"You, turning invisible?" Teo asked. "I just don't see it." "Why not?" she shot back at him. Teo gulped. _Great, just you made the greatest Earthbender in the world pissed at you, good job!_ he thought. "Well, you're so outgoing and unafraid to speak your mind. I just can't picture you hiding in the background." Seeing tears threatening to fall across her cheeks, he timidly added, "You aren't invisible to me."

****

"Sir!" cried the lieutenant. Lt. Colonel Xiang stared at the young officer and asked, "Report." "We have broken off from the main group and are awaiting your orders, sir." The lt. Colonel nodded. "Navigator, range to target?" The junior officer consulted the map of Omashu. "Five miles, sir!" "Very well," Xiang said. "Communications, alert the company," he ordered. "Channel's open sir." Xiang walked over to the radio and picked up the speaker. "All units, advance on the airfield. At one mile range-to-target, Fourth platoon will deploy and disperse in a defensive formation. Once we reach the field, the remaining platoons will surround the field and deploy their units, Second to the north, Third to the south, Fifth to the east, and First will attack from the west. Let's move, gentlemen!"

***

_How the hell are we going to get to the airfield on time?_ Katara asked herself. It was a valid question, since the three women were in the upper part of the city, while the airfield was on the lower ring. "Anyone got any ideas?" Mai asked. "I got it!" Ty Lee exclaimed. Mai rolled her eyes. "It can't involve walking on tightropes or rope swinging," she said flatly. Ty Lee's grin faded. "I don't got it."

While they were running toward the gate to the middle tier of the city, they passed a mail chute. Katara saw the chute and an idea hit her. _Now all I need is some water!_ she thought, furious at herself for not bringing her water skin with her. Luckily, she saw a fountain nearby. She skidded to a stop; only to end up tackled to the ground by Mai and Ty Lee. "And the reason why you slammed the brakes on us is?" Mai quipped. Getting up, Katara merely said, "I've got an idea." Mai saw to look in Katara's eyes. "This won't end well."

**

"I knew it wouldn't end well," Mai sighed. She leaned over the side of the makeshift ice-crate Katara had bended. "Um, Katara," Ty Lee asked. "Why are we in a mail chute?" Katara was pushing the crate towards the drop-off. "We're taking a short cut," the waterbender replied. "Oh, and Mai," she added. "You might want to keep everything inside the crate." Mai shrugged, then pulled her arms back in the crate.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Ty Lee asked, her eyes growing wider as the crate neared the drop. "Mostly sure," Katara said. Seeing Ty Lee's ghost-white face, Katara quickly added, "Look, I've done this with Aang before, and this is the only way we're going to reach the airfield before it's overrun." To emphasize her point, she pointed to the airfield below. The women could see five tank trains split off from the main group and begin to navigate through the urban labyrinth towards the field. Mai grunted. "Let's just go already!" Katara nodded. "Hold on!" she warned.

With one final shove, she felt the crate begin to tilt forward. She hopped in. "Everyone, lean forward!" she told them. The women leaned forward and the crated dropped into the chute. Katara placed one hand on the back of the crate, and pressed the other on the floor. She bended the bottom layer of ice to form a liquid film for the crate to ride on, reducing the friction tremendously. "Katara!" Ty Lee shouted. Katara looked ahead and saw the chute split into two paths. Quickly, she bended the rear of the crate to form an airfoil/rudder and veered hard left, not knowing whether or not she picked the right chute.

****

Zuko waited impatiently for his XO to give him the status report. He was about to send for him when he entered the bridge. The Fire Navy captain presented himself to the Fire Lord and dropped to one knee. "My lord," the captain said. "Well," Zuko asked. "Is the fleet ready?" Rising to his feet, the captain nodded. "Yes my lord," he said. "The fleet is ready for takeoff just as soon as you give the order." Zuko stared out through the main window. "It is given," he said. "As you wish, sire." The captain nodded to the Comm officer, who relayed the order throughout the ship. Zuko began to pace as his crew readied the ship for takeoff.

***

In the upper observation deck, the two semaphore men waited for orders from the bridge. _Actually_, they were napping, but in their defense, not much happens at their posts. The two crewmen were rudely awakened by a buzzing noise. "What? Where?" one of the crewmen asked. The other crewman, a more seasoned sailor than his partner, picked up the comm reciver. "Aye, sir. Observation Deck, out." Seeing that his partner was drifting back to sleep, the superior crewman kicked him lightly. "Come on, kid!" he said, jerking the youth back to consciousness. "We've got work to do."

***

The ensign paced irritably across the deck of the Control Tower. He wanted to serve on the airships, that's why he joined the Fire Nation's newest branch of the military, the Fire Navy Air Force. _Yeah,_ he thought. _Join the Air Force, see the world! What a load of crap!_ The junior officer had served for a year now and hadn't set foot out of Ranshao. Then, something on the flagship caught his eye. He peered through his telescope and saw the airship deploying its semaphore flags. Consulting his chart, he translated what the flags meant. Setting the telescope and chart aside, he ran to the Control Room and said, "The fleet's ready to launch!"

***

Zuko heard the klaxon coming from the Tower. _Finally,_ he thought to himself. "Helm," he ordered, "Take us up."

****

"Captain, it doesn't look good," the Lt. Commander reported. "The field is surrounded on all sides by Phoenix tank trains and they are beginning to deploy." The captain placed his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. "Has the Fire Lady returned?" he asked. "No," his XO said. "Sir, what are we going to do?" The captain poured over his options. The smart thing to do would be to takeoff, but if he did and the Fire Lady was killed, Zuko would burn him alive.

Finally, he settled on a decision. "Commander," he said. "Yes, sir?" "Ready the ship for takeoff, but keep us on the ground until the Fire Lady returns. I want to be able to get airborne just as soon as she sets foot on the deck." The lt. Commander nodded. "Aye, Captain." The captain continued. "Deploy a Marine platoon to defend the airfield until then. Tell them to find defensible positions and dig in." "Yes sir," the XO said reluctantly. Both men knew they were sending those Marines to their deaths, but it was the only way to buy the Fire Lady some time.

***

Aang flew over the city to get a feel of where the likely attack points would be. He saw the tank train formation split into three groups, one, the largest, kept pushing forward through the evacuated lower ring. Its target was obvious, it was attempting to break through to the middle ring. _I hope our defenses hold,_ he thought. The second group seemed to disperse throughout the lower ring, as though to mop up any resistance. The Avatar couldn't see the point, since the entire ring was evacuated.

Then, when he saw where the smallest group was headed, his stomach twisted with dread. _They're attacking the airfield! _ In fact, the third group had already deployed its units and surrounded the entire field. Though, one tank train had him puzzled. Instead of attacking like the others, it had stopped just shy of the field, and appeared to be assembling what looked like a giant tube mounted on a turntable. _What's THAT?_ he wondered. Little did the airbender know that he'd soon learn what it could do.

***

"Hang on!" Katara said. They had just entered the lower ring and had banked towards the field. Their little side trip at the fork in the chute took them halfway across the middle ring, so now they were racing back to the field, heading east. Thanks to her bending, the crate was roaring down the chute at around 80 miles per hour. But now that they were on more or less level terrain, Katara could feel the crate begin to decelerate. She bended even more water to reduce as much friction as she could, and had even reshaped the crate in-flight to a more bullet like shape, much to Ty Lee's surprise.

"Uh, Katara," Mai said. "I hate to be a buzz-kill, but how are we going to dodge that?" Katara looked up and gulped. Ahead, the chute crossed an aqueduct and as a result, the chute had little bunny hill. "We can't," Katara said. Ty Lee squealed and ducked underneath the edge of the wall, squeezing her eyes shut. Mai lowered her center of gravity and braced her arms against the sides of the crate. "Brace for impact!" Katara yelled. Then, they hit the incline and sailed into the air at 78mph.

Quickly, Katara bended as much ice into the nose of the crate as she could to cushion the impact that would inevitably follow. The crate slammed into a building and punched clear through it and buried itself in the street. Shaking, the three women emerged from the crater. "Everyone okay?" the waterbender asked. The two others nodded. "That's the last time I'm ever taking one of your 'shortcuts'," Mai said. Katara melted the crate and bended the water around her arms. "Let's go!" she shouted. "We don't have much time!"

***

_Ah, the wonders of invention,_ the major sighed, gazing fondly at the massive barrel before him. He began to idly stroke it when his radioman said something. He snapped out of his trance and asked, "What was that, Corporal?" The corporal repeated the message. "Second platoon reports that they have broken through to the field and is requesting that we stand by for support." "Very well," said the major. He turned to the platoon radio and barked, "Fire Control Teams, to your stations!" He stood back an watched in admiration as the massive barrel swung to life.

***

"Captain!" the XO cried, "The Phoenixes have broken through!" Before the captain could respond, a shudder rolled through the airship as Phoenix battle tanks pounded it with fireballs. "Damage report!" the captain shouted. "Stern armor has absorbed the hits. Damage Control reports only burn marks on the outer surface," the communications officer said. "Any sign of the Fire Lady?" The XO shook his head, then almost fell when another volley impacted against the ship. "Armor still intact, but the port number two engine has taken damage," the comm officer reported. "Engineers estimate that they can run her up to 75%, but no further." The captain pressed his hand to his forehead again. He knew he could afford to wait just a bit longer, but only if he could get those tanks off his tail. "Weapons! Target the tanks with all available launchers. Get them off our ass!"

***

Appa had never liked to be cooped up, but he was glad that the airship's bomb bay was roomy. Suddenly, the ship shook violently, as if a giant hand had grabbed it and decided to put it in a blender. As the bison got back on his feet, he saw crewmen racing about the bay, each with a panicked look on their face. When the ship trembled again, Appa began to pound his head against the bay doors. He knew he had to get out, and fast. When the doors refused to budge, Appa charged at the wall and punched through.

He saw Fire Navy Marines being slaughtered by faceless Phoenix Warriors. Enraged, the bison turned around and presented his massive tail to the unsuspecting troops. He lifted it as high as he could, and quickly slammed it down, generating a gale in excess of 50mph. The warriors were thrown into the wall with enough force to knock the lucky ones out. The unlucky ones felt a sharp pain explode at the base of their necks, then they felt nothing more. Appa turned to face his work when he felt a stream of fire burn across his back. Growling in agony, the bison crushed the offending tank underfoot and took off. Unsure of where his master was, he flew to the one place he knew would be safe, Kyoshi Island.

***

The bridge crew braced themselves as another tremor tore throughout the ship. "That was no fireball!" the captain shouted. "No, it wasn't," the lt. commander agreed. "Damage Control reports two complete sections of our starboard armor have been blown off, from the inside." "Sabotage?" the captain asked. "Looks like it," the XO replied. This was not good. With two armor sections gone, the hydrogen tank was exposed to enemy fire. Defeated, the captain got back to his feet. "We can't wait any longer, we have to take off, now." The XO nodded. "Helm, get us airborne!"

***

"Major," the corporal said. "What is it?" the major asked. "First platoon has broken through and reports that our agent was successful." The major's eyes lightened. "Good, have they reported anything else?" The corporal nodded. "Yes sir, they are feeding us coordinates now." "Give those to Fire Control as soon as you get them all!" the major ordered. He picked up the intercom and barked, "All hands, prepare to fire!"

The gunnery crew slid a round, solid steel ball, soaked in petroleum, into the 10in breech. Next, they packed two bags of black powder behind it. Then, they swung the breech closed and locked it in place. One crewman inserted a 7in long metal spike into a tiny hole at the top of the barrel. It pierced the second bag of powder, and pulled the end of a 5sec fuse along with it. The Gunnery Sergeant saluted to Fire Control, signaling that they were ready to fire.

"Come to bearing 2-7-5, elevation 35 degrees," the Fire Control Officer instructed. "Bearing 2-7-5, 35 degrees, aye." When the barrel swung into place, the lieutenant contacted the major. "We are ready to fire." The major smiled darkly. "Fire at will." The Sergeant lit the fuse, then heard the explosion within the breech. The flaming ball sailed into the air, climbing rapidly before gravity caused it to arc back toward the ground. Then, it slammed into the rising airship's hydrogen tank, engulfing the ship in an inferno.

***

Aang was heading back to the gate to the middle ring to lead the city's defense when he heard a thunderclap from the direction of the airfield. He turned just in time to see the Royal Airship explode in a gigantic fireball, consuming everything in a half-mile radius. "No," he said weakly. He felt like someone drove a dagger into his heart and was twisting it. He landed because he was losing his control. He couldn't believe his own eyes, but he couldn't deny it. He had just seen his one and only love engulfed in a fiery inferno. "KATARA!"

Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon


	4. Part 3

The man gazed out over the field and marveled at how beautiful it looked under the late afternoon sky. _It's so, peaceful,_ he thought to himself. _Too bad that by this time tomorrow, these fields will be stained red from blood. _ Sighing, the man walked back to the shelter of the treeline that bordered the Hu Xin Provinces. "Do you have a visual?" he asked, seemingly to no one. Then, as if appearing out of thin air, an archer came into view. "Affirmative, General," the archer replied. "I count forty Dai Li agents hiding in that cave, bearing 2-5-4, mark 3."

Kurzon followed the archer's lead and saw the cave he was talking about. It had a small, well-camouflaged entrance, but nothing could hide from the Yu-Yan Archers. "Orders, sir?" the archer asked. "Keep an eye on them for now," Kurzon told him. "Don't blow your cover unless you are compromised. Wait until nightfall, and then we will strike." The archer nodded. "As you wish, General." And with that, the archer vanished among the trees once more.

****

Aang collapsed to the ground. "Katara. Mai Ty Lee," he stammered. "They're all, dead." He felt sick, and without warning he emptied his stomach contents onto the stone rooftop. But his bout of nausea didn't hurt him the most. He felt as if someone ripped his heart from his chest and crushed it underfoot. "Katara," he said, tears streaming down his face. He realized that he'd never be able to live his life without her. For a moment, he thought about ending it and joining his beloved, but pushed that thought out of his mind. _You can't take the coward's way out!_ he thought. _Omashu needs you, and Zuko and Sokka deserve to know! _ His body trembled as he sobbed again. "Besides," he told himself. "Katara wouldn't want you to do it." He looked up at the setting sun and cried.

***

The ground shook from the shockwave as the inferno engulfed the airfield. The explosion had completely wiped out everything within a half a mile, including all but one platoon of C Company. Well, it wiped out almost everything. As the dust settled, a dome of ice glistened in the evening light. After a minute, the ice melted and three figures emerged. "What, what happened?" asked the athletic figure. "The airship exploded, you ditz!" shouted the tall one. "Knock it off!" the third figure snapped. The tall figure sighed and asked, "Now what do we do?" "The only thing we can do," said the third figure. She stepped out of the shadows, revealing the hard, determined face of a Southern Water Tribe Master. "We fight."

****

Zuko paced anxiously across the bridge of his airship. "Is everything alright, my lord?" asked the captain. "It's almost dusk and we haven't even left Fire Nation territory!" the Fire Lord yelled. "What do you think?" The captain shifted uncomfortably and said, "Sir, the fleet is moving as fast as it can, but…" Zuko glared at him. "But what, Captain?" The captain took a deep breath, and explained. "But only ten of our ships have been refitted with the new oil fired engines. The rest are still equipped with the slower coal fired ones." Zuko grunted. "So that's why we're crawling over Fire Nation territory, because the rest of the fleet can't keep up?" "Yes, my lord," the captain answered. "However, we _could_ split the fleet and have the ten fast airships follow us and order the rest of the fleet to proceed as planned while we soften the enemy up for them." Zuko shook his head. "No, Captain, the fleet can only go as fast as the slowest ship." He breathed deeply.

The captain placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's perfectly safe, my lord." Touched by the captain's concern, Zuko gave him a weak smile. "I'll bet you're right. Thank you, Captain Piett." Zuko turned and said, "I'm going to get some air. I'll be on the catwalk if you need me." With that, Zuko left, his mind consumed by his concern for his two greatest loves in his life, Mai and the child she carried within her.

****

Toph fought to hide the blush she felt. "Well then, you're the first to notice," she said. She sighed. _Maybe it's time I told someone,_ she thought. Before she could reply, Teo asked, "What do you mean?" _Here goes nothing. _ "Normally, people only notice me when I crack wise-ass remarks, or I make myself known to people. But, no one has ever noticed me when I'm just being me, you know?" Teo sympathized with the blind girl completely. "I do," he said.

"I feel like I'm only visible when I'm flying. In the air, I can pull off all sorts of amazing aerial stunts and maneuvers. But when I'm on the ground, I'm just that kid in the wheelchair." Toph fought the urge to cry. "Look, Teo, I'm sorry for what happened back there, it's just that I…" "Shh," Teo cut her off. "You didn't do anything wrong. I know you couldn't feel me through the wooden wheelchair." Teo blushed a little and added, "Actually, to tell you the truth, I didn't mind it at all."

Toph turned her head towards him. "Why?" she asked. Teo's face grew even redder, and he was silently grateful that Toph was blind. "Um, well, I've never had a girl do that before." Toph didn't understand. "What do you mean?" she asked. "You're a celebrity here! I'd have thought the chicks would be all over you," she said. Teo sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm only a celebrity when I'm in the air, Toph. Besides, a wheelchair isn't exactly a chick magnet."

The earthbender immediately regretted what she said. "I'm sorry, Teo, I didn't know." "Toph, it's fine-" "NO!" she snapped. "It's not fine! It was cruel of me to assume that about you, because I went through the same thing!" She started to shake as tears burst forth from her eyes. "No guy has ever given me a second glance! They see me and think, _Oh, look at the blind girl!_"

A realization dawned on the handicapped pilot. "You're talking about Sokka, aren't you?" Toph threw herself onto his chest and buried her face into his shirt. "Why did he fall for her?" she sobbed. "What did she have that I didn't? What fault did he see in me? As soon as she showed up, he acted like I wasn't even there!" Teo held her close and gently stroked her back. He could feel her tears soak through his shirt, but he didn't say anything. He just let her cry. Once she calmed down, he said, "Toph, I don't know why Sokka chose Suki over you, but it's not because of you. There is _nothing_ wrong with you, understand?" He cupped his hand under her chin and tilted her head up. He stared into her milky green eyes. "I know it doesn't really matter, but I think you're beautiful." Toph stared blankly at him, and asked, "You think I'm beautiful?" Teo smiled and said, "Yes, Toph. I do." Hearing that, Toph felt her composure dissolve away, and she buried her head in his shoulder and held him tight. Teo felt tears begin to run down his sleeve. He pulled her closer to him and laid his head on hers, and watched the sun set across the amber sky.

****

Aang swooped down and landed at the forward command post. "Avatar," the ranking general said. "Is everything alright?" _No, nothing's alright. Katara, my whole being, is dead. _ "I'm fine," he said coldly. "How are we doing?" he asked. The general showed him a map of the city. "The Phoenix Army is in complete control of the lower ring," he said. "They have cut off every escape route, and since we don't have the Royal Airship any longer, we're effectively trapped." Aang studied the map. "How are our defenses holding?" "They're holding for now," the general replied. Both of them looked out over the battlefield and saw the fifteen strong tank train formation deploy its tanks and men. The general turned toward the Avatar and added, "but for how long?"

Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon


	5. Part 4

As the sun set over Omashu, the once beautiful vista was marred by the fires and explosions or war. So far, the city's inhabitants had been successful in keeping the invading army contained in the lower ring, but the Avatar knew it was only a matter of time before the Phoenix scourge would break through to the middle ring. As if on cue, he felt the ground beneath him shake. "What was that?" one Earth Kingdom soldier asked. "We're dead!" another soldier, this one a volunteer drafted into his city's defense. "We're dead! We're still alive but we're dead!"

In an instant, the Avatar was in his face. "We are NOT DEAD!" he shouted. "NO ONE is dead! We WILL defend this city, and we WILL win! Is that clear, soldier?" The soldier nodded weakly. Aang then addressed the whole army and said, "I know that you are scared. Everyone is afraid before a battle, even me." The crowd gasped at the Avatar's revelation. A few felt even more hopeless than before. "But you need to turn your fear of dying into a fear of losing the ones you hold most dear. Once you do that, you will have no problem meeting these invaders head on."

Aang looked over the crowd and saw the fire return to their eyes as they steeled themselves for battle. The ground trembled once more. "Show them no mercy," he said. "For none will be shown to you." With that, the ground shook once more as a tank train burst through the gate. Phoenix soldiers poured out from the behemoth like a swarm of angry hornets, and were just as ruthless. Before they could organize themselves, Aang charged towards them, shouting, "ATTACK!"

****

Teo was admiring the evening twilight when the blind girl who he was holding in his arms stopped trembling. He gazed down at her and smiled. Her head was still buried in his shoulder, her hair splayed over her back and his neck. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, but still loose enough for him to breathe comfortably. She was kneeling on the ground to his right, but Toph wanted to get in a more comfortable position. Not letting her anchor go for a second, she swung her legs up onto his and drew them up halfway to her chest.

She was completely blind now; all she could 'see' was the beating of her comforter's heart, and the flow of his blood coursing through his veins. As she rolled on her side, her knee pressed into his leg. Teo winced and shifted his waist. Still, her knee dug into him, so he said, "Um, Toph?" From the earthbender, all he could hear was a muffled, "Mmph?" "Toph, your knee. It's digging into my leg," he said as gently as possible. Toph blushed and shifted her knee so it was merely resting on him. She raised her head toward him and asked, "Better?" Teo held her tighter and said, "Yes, Toph. Thanks."

Toph laid her head back on his shoulder, and became puzzled. "How could you feel that?" she asked. "I thought you couldn't move your legs?" Teo shrugged. "You're right, but just because I can't move them doesn't mean I can't feel them." Toph became more confused. "Um, Teo?" she asked. "What is it?" he asked softly. "Look, I know this is personal, so if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but…" Teo cut her off. "Just ask me, Toph," he said gently. "How did you…" she trailed off. Teo knew what she wanted to ask. "How did I end up in a wheelchair?" he finished. Toph nodded. "Well," he started. "I guess it's time I told somebody."

****

"Katara! Behind you!" The waterbender spun one hundred and eighty degrees, and flung her water whip at the ambushing soldier. As it approached, Katara compressed the whip to give it a razor's edge, which sliced clean through the Phoenix's raised sword. The soldier's eyes grew wide as he saw the whip speed towards his face. The whip cut through his armor and peeled away the flesh from his arm. But, at the last second, she decompressed her whip, just as it hit his head, spinning the hapless grunt onto the ground.

"Thanks Mai!" she called to her charge. Since the explosion, the three women were trying to find a way to get back to friendly lines, but weren't having much luck as elements of B Company were making their way throughout the lower ring. "Any ideas?" the Fire Lady asked, pinning another soldier to a wall with her stiletto knives. Katara surveyed the intersection. Phoenix troops were approaching from the north, the east, and the south. From the west, two tanks were advancing towards the three. She heard a grunt as another soldier fell, this time from two swift blows from Ty Lee. "Where are they coming from?" she asked to no one in particular.

Katara weighed her options. Her natural instinct was to shy away from the tanks, but each of the infantry platoons approaching them were at least fifty strong. There was no way they could fight all of them. She looked back to the west and saw that the tanks had no supporting infantry escorting them. The waterbender let a feral grin creep on her face. "Mai, Ty Lee!" she yelled. "Head for the tanks!" Mai and Ty Lee looked at each other. _Surely she's joking!_ they thought. They turned back and shouted, "Head for the _WHAT_?"

But, their cry fell on deaf ears as Katara had already charged towards the nearest tank, her water blade ready. Mai sighed. "She's definitely got courage," Ty Lee commented. "Yeah, but what good will it do if she gets herself killed?" Mai snorted as the two followed Katara into the lion's den.

***

The defending army slammed into the unprepared invaders. Phoenix soldiers flew through the air propelled by columns of earth jutting sharply out of the ground. Boulders flew through their lines, smashing the grunts that were still pouring out from the tank train. Soon, the fight devolved into a chaotic melee. The two forces mixed and merged, making it impossible to haphazardly strike at an enemy without possibly hitting an ally. Aang realized this, as a stray boulder flew past his nose and slammed into the earthbender next to him. _Friendly fire is going to kill us, _he thought. Over the din, he shouted, "Earthbenders, stop chucking rocks! We're too close in! Fight hand-to-hand!"

The Avatar sensed a Phoenix solider charging for him, intent on running him through. Without turning, he twisted his foot while he drove his right hand down. In the blink of an eye, the soldier panicked as the very ground opened up beneath him. He sank into the ground until only his head was showing. Aang twisted his foot again, and the earth contracted around the soldier just enough to immobilize him. All around the melee, pillars of earth sprang up and retracted, sending enemy soldiers flying, others appearing to block streams of flame. Aang made his way to the tank train, blasting grunts out of his way with gale force winds from his staff. He fought his way to the hatch and ripped a mass of earth from the ground and slammed it into the train, effectively sealing off the flow of grunts.

After a few minutes, all of the Phoenixes were down. "Listen up!" Aang shouted. "I need you to concentrate on the hole in the wall and squeeze it shut!" The earthbenders assumed their ready positions. "Now!" he shouted. The earthbenders slammed the ground with their feet, rooting themselves firmly. Then, they forced their hands together, as if they were trying to squeeze a melon until it burst. Aang followed suit and the portal through which the tank train was sitting in began to contract. The metal armor shrieked in protest as the wall of earth pressed harder and harder on it. The benders began to tire, as the tank train's spine resisted their grip. "Just…a little…longer!" Aang panted. With a war cry, the benders let out one final surge of strength. The train shrieked as if it were an armadillo bear with a boulder crushing its spine. Then, the benders felt the keel give way. It sheared in two, and the tank train crumpled like it was a tin can.

"Enough!" Aang ordered. "It's not going anywhere! We've sealed the hole!" The earthbenders cheered in triumph, but Aang didn't. He knew that this was just the beginning.

****

"My lord," Captain Piett said. "We need to set down for the night. The fleet cannot navigate in the dark." "Why not?" the Fire Lord asked. "Can't we just point the fleet towards Omashu and fly in a straight line?" The Captain was about to answer when the navigator spoke up. "If I may, sir," he asked Piett. The captain looked at Zuko, who motioned for him to go ahead. Piett nodded.

"If we only had three or four airships, yes, we could do that," the navigator explained. "But with a fleet this large, fifty airships strong, we run the risk of midair collisions every time we would need to make course adjustments, sir." Zuko mulled that over. The Lt. Commander was right. He couldn't afford to risk losing the fleet before it had even got to Omashu. But, he needed to get to Mai as quickly as possible. She needed protecting, and he wasn't there to protect her. Finally, he asked, "Commander, what is the maximum size fleet that could safely navigate at night?" The navigator scratched his head. "Well, for maximum safety, I'd say none, but I think you can navigate a fleet of five airships in the dark with a minimum risk of collision." "How minimal?" Zuko pushed. "I think you'd have a 20% chance of a collision, sir." "Very well."

Zuko turned to Piett. "Captain," he said. "Yes, my lord?" "Signal the fleet. Order them to land on Whale Tail Island for the night. Then signal the _Burning Flame_, _Rising Sun_, _Burning Ember_, and the _Inferno_ to follow us to Omashu." "Aye sir," Piett responded. "To whom shall I transfer the flag?" "Transfer the flag to the _Firestorm_," Zuko said. From the window, Zuko saw the last glimpses of twilight begin to fade, as signal lamps flashed throughout the fleet. The lights in the bridge cut out, replaced by dim red lights designed to preserve the crew's night vision. A few minutes later, twilight had fallen, replaced by the darkness of night. The only source of illumination was the moon.

"A full one tonight, sir," the captain commented. "Yes, it is," Zuko added, gazing at the moon. Three years ago, a full moon was an ill omen for the Fire Nation. But now, Zuko silently thanked the spirits that it was a full moon. Because that just might allow a certain airbender and waterbender to survive the night. "Sir," the comm officer said. "_Firestorm_ signals that the fleet has touched down and _Inferno_, _Flame_, _Ember_, and _Sun_ are awaiting instructions."

The Fire Lord nodded and retired. Piett stepped forward into the command bridge. "Navigation, plot direct course to Omashu." "Course: bearing 4-5 East-Northeast," the lt. commander said. "Helm, make your course bearing 4-5 East-Northeast," the captain ordered. "4-5 east-northeast, aye!" Slowly, the airship began its turn. When the ship was oriented on their course, the captain spoke. "Helm, all ahead full." "All ahead full, aye!" "Communications, send the task force our current course and speed," Piett ordered. "Transmitting now," the lieutenant said. A minute later, he said, "All ships are matching course and speed, sir." "Very well," Piett said as he suppressed a yawn. It was going to be a long night.

****

Teo took a deep breath, and began. "I don't remember all the details, only what my dad told me." He gazed out at the rising full moon. "We didn't always live at the Northern Air Temple, we came from a small village that used to stand at the base of the mountain. When I was an infant, something happened. That day, my dad went to his workshop like he always did, while my mother stayed home with me."

He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. When he didn't continue, Toph gently nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "Oh, sorry," he said, blushing, "got lost in my thoughts." Toph groaned quietly, but let him continue. "Anyway, around midday, the nearby river flooded over its banks and washed away our village. About half the village drowned, including my mother." Teo felt warm droplets fall onto his shirt. He didn't know how to comfort her, so he kept going. "When the water hit out house, my mother grabbed me and ran to the roof. We were almost there when a timber from our roof fell. Instinctively, she wrapped herself around me, using her body as a shield. The timber broke her back, killing her instantly. She let go and I floated outside on a piece of the roof. The timber shifted and fell on me, pressing my tiny legs against my little raft. Apparently, it severed the muscle fibers in my thighs, preventing me from using my legs. Since they were just developing, they never really healed, so all I have is scar tissue there.

"My dad swam up to me and lifted the timber off my legs and he carried me to higher ground. Then, he led the survivors up the mountain and we sort of found the temple and turned it into our home." The droplets had become streams as Toph began to tremble again. Teo pulled her closer and stroked her back. "I'm so sorry, Teo," Toph said through her tears. "It's alright, Toph," Teo said. "Don't you miss her?" she asked. "Yes, I do. But, I don't really remember her at all, and I feel horrible for that, but losing her never really hurt that much." Teo's gaze returned to the night sky. "Not like it hurt my dad," he added.

Toph calmed down and asked, "So, can you still…?" "Yes, I can still feel my legs and feet, but, they feel distant, faded." Toph wondered about something. "You said only you thigh muscles were injured. What about your lower legs?" "I can't bend my knees, but a can move my feet a little. Sometimes I wiggle them just to remind myself that they're still there." "Oh, okay," the blind girl said. She felt tired from her crying, and snuggled close to him, laying her head in the crook of his neck. Then, she closed her eyes and felt safe, protected, and not alone. Teo kept gazing out at the sky, admiring the view when he felt the girl's chest rise and fall in a slow, steady rhythm. Careful not to make any sudden moves, he slowly pulled her in tighter and laid his head on hers. "Goodnight, Toph," he whispered before drifting off to sleep.

Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon


	6. Part 5

"Hmm," the Mechanist thought. He scratched his head, deep in concentration. "I don't know how we'll be able to get enough lift out of an airship half the size of Fire Navy airships," he mused aloud. Sokka was pacing nervously back and forth; the floor had already given underneath his feet, leaving a shallow rut behind. "If only we could," he started to say. Then, inspiration hit him. Sokka grabbed a brush and some ink and threw the Mechanist out of the way.

He furiously began to draw the specs for the skysailer's engine. "That's how we'll generate enough lift!" he exclaimed, holding the blueprints in front of the inventor's face. The Mechanist scratched his head again. "Um, Sokka," he said, "how is a platypus-bear supposed to create lift?" "WHAT?" Sokka asked, clearly confused. He looked at his drawing and said, "THAT'S NOT A PLATYPUS-BEAR! IT'S A STEAM ENGINE!" The Mechanist squinted at the page a second time. "If you say so," the inventor replied, disbelief clearly visible in his eyes. "OF COURSE I SAY SO!" Sokka fumed.

"Anyway," he continued. "The skysailer also had a lift problem that I solved with two additions. One, give the airship wings. The wings will generate additional lift for the airship while it's moving forward. They'll also add stability." The inventor's eyes brightened in understanding. "With wings, all of the energy supplied by the steam engine could be used exclusively for propulsion!" he said excitedly. Then, a thought occurred to him. "You said that the wings would only provide lift while the ship was moving, right?" Sokka nodded. "Then how will the ship stay in the air when it isn't moving."

Sokka was beaming. "Two words; thrust vectoring." Picking up a model engine and a flexible pipe, Sokka demonstrated his idea. "You see, the steam created by the engine has to go somewhere, right. Most of the time, it spins the prop turbines and then is cycled back." The Mechanist nodded for the Water Tribe man to continue. Sokka fit the pipe over the engine's exhaust. "With thrust vectoring, you can either shunt the steam back into the turbines, or force it out downwards, like so." He bent the pipe so it pointed down. He placed the engine on a model balloon and turned it on. Immediately, the balloon floated up into the air. "Amazing!" the Mechanist said. Sokka assumed a 'manly' pose and said. "I do what I can," moments before the engine ignited the balloon.

***

Teo awoke to the sound of another small explosion coming from the lab. He shook his head, then he realized that he wasn't alone. He gazed fondly at the sleeping form lying on his lap. _She looks so peaceful,_ he thought. He kept vigil over the blind girl until he heard voices leaving the lab. _I guess they're done for the night. Now maybe the rest of us can get some sleep. _ He was about to lay his head back down on the girl's but a voice behind him stopped him.

**

_Wow, it's already after dark,_ Sokka thought. He noticed a familiar wheelchair out on the balcony. The Water Tribe man walked up to it and asked, "Hey Teo, watching the stars?" The only response he got was a jab in his side. "Ow!" he said. He turned to his assailant and demanded "What was that for?" Teo glared at him, then glanced down. Sokka was confused, so the inventor's son nodded his head downward. Sokka glanced down and saw Toph curled up on the pilot's lap, her head on his shoulder, fast asleep. Sokka mouthed an "Oops, sorry!" and left.

****

Night had fallen with an eerie silence over the Hu Xin Provinces. Kurzon surveyed the moonlit fields and decided that the time had come. Silently, he rose his hand, then gestured towards the small cave only about thirty feet in front of him. Then, from nowhere, a volley of arrows soared toward the cave. Each of the arrows found their mark, knocking out their Dai Li victims without a sound. The Phoenix general walked towards the cave. Behind him, ten figures sprang up from the ground, seemingly appearing from thin air. They silently advanced, every so often another volley of arrows would sail over them, and by the time they had reached the cave opening, twenty-five Dai Li agents lay unconscious.

The general nodded and the ten SpecOps troops stacked up on either side of the door. One of them counted down from five on his fingers, while another pulled a small round device from his belt. At the count of three, he pulled a pin and hurled the device into the room. As soon as the countdown ended, the device began spewing gas into the cave. "What the?" asked a Dai Li agent before he felt something hard connect with his temple. He was out before he hit the ground. Within minutes, the SpecOps team had completely neutralized the cave of all Dai Li resistance. Kurzon let an evil smile cross his lips as he said, "Well done." The SpecOps team retrieved the fifty agents and dragged them out into the night and disappeared. Ten minutes after the raid had started, nothing was left behind to ever suggest that anyone had been here.

****

"And stay down!" Though they had only fought twenty troops for only ten minutes, Katara could have sworn that the three of them had been fighting for hours. "It's like they keep coming out of nowhere!" Ty Lee exclaimed, only reinforcing Katara's assumption. "There's no way we're going to make it all the way to friendly lines before the Fire Navy gets here!" Mai shouted.

After thrashing another Phoenix trooper, Katara glanced up at the mountain city and knew the Fire Lady was right. They were nowhere near the middle ring, and it looked like the Phoenix Army was about to break through at any moment. With that knowledge, Katara announced, "Mai's right, we won't make it back." "So what do we do?" Ty Lee asked as she deftly blocked off another trooper's chi. FWWP "Yeah, it's not like we can stay put," Mai said dryly, pinning a hapless soldier to the wall. "We'll just have to hide out for a few hours until the heat's off," the waterbender said. "Tee-hee, til the heat's off!" Ty Lee giggled. She was immediately given two simultaneous death glares from Mai and Katara. "You know what I mean!" Katara shouted. She then froze a trooper to the ground, then used her water whip to strike his temple. Once the trooper was out cold, she released him and shouted, "Let's go!" With that, the three women disappeared into the urban labyrinth.

***

"Sir, the Avatar is among the defenders!" the lieutenant reported. "What should we do?" General Bujing digested this new piece of Intel before making any moves. If the Avatar was leading the defending forces, then taking Omashu would be much more difficult, not to mention more costly. On the other hand, if the Avatar were cut off from the rest of the defenders, the Phoenix Army would surely be able to wipe out the single most dangerous threat to world peace. "Deploy the artillery!" the general ordered. "Begin full scale bombardment of the city walls and the civilian dwellings in the middle rings." Bujing knew that the shelling inflicted on non-military targets would lure the Avatar out and cause him to try and destroy the offending cannons. When he did, Bujing would spring his trap and pin the Avatar behind enemy lines. "This time, young Avatar," Bujing said, "you will not be rising from the dead."

***

"Avatar!" Aang turned towards the young Omashu soldier. _He can't be any older than ten!_ he thought. But the airbender hid any dismay from his voice. "What is it, soldier?" "All civilians have been evacuated to the upper ring, sir!" the child warrior exclaimed. Before Aang could respond, three thunderous explosions were heard from the lower ring. Seconds later, flaming balls of steel slammed into the cityscape behind them.

"Just in time, soldier!" he quipped. He turned once again to the child. "I want you to guard the civilians. No matter what happens, those civilians' lives are in your hands. Do you understand?" The child warrior saluted, shouting "Yessir!" Then, he raced off to his new assignment. Aang whipped out his glider and flew up for a birds-eye view. He saw three more cannons deployed along the front lines, close to the middle ring. They were the cannons that were currently shelling the now vacant middle ring cityscape. He let his gaze sweep over to the blazing inferno that was the Omashu Airfield. _That's odd,_ he thought. _Why isn't the fourth cannon shooting? _ He shoved the thought aside and focused on the problem at hand.

He noted that the cannons weren't targeting the wall, or the ring's defenses as much as they were targeting the cityscape behind it. _They're trying to lure me out. It's a trap! _ He flew down behind the wall and walked over to one of the trebuchets. "Who's in charge here?" Aang asked. A young sergeant who looked to be no older than seventeen stood. "I am, Avatar," he said. "Gunnery Sergeant Fang, sir." Aang motioned for him. When the sergeant was standing beside him, Aang briefed him on the current situation. "I need you to concentrate your fire on the closest cannon. Give it everything you've got." "Yessir!" the sergeant said and gave his catapult crew their new target's coordinates. "FIRE!" the sergeant shouted. The rope was cut and the massive arm of the trebuchet flung forward, hurling a boulder the size of a small airship at the cannon.

***

Katara heard the explosions from within their hideout, an old, rundown teashop. She gazed at the moon and hoped that no one got hurt, especially a certain someone. She felt tears begin to well up in her eyes, threatening to overflow their banks and cascade down her cheeks. "He's fine, Katara," a voice behind her said. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. "How can you be so sure?" Katara asked. Mai sat down beside the waterbender, her hand still on Katara's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine because I know just how hard it is to catch him." She snorted, and said, "And from what Zuko's told me, I wouldn't be surprised if he's invincible." Katara smiled weakly, then sobered. "Believe me, Mai, he's not invincible," she told the Fire Lady. "He's just as mortal as the rest of us."

Mai knew she was referring to the coup at Ba Sing Se. She couldn't understand why Katara was so upset. Aang had been in mortal danger before, why should it bother her now? Then, she realized something. "This is the first time you two have been alone since the war ended, isn't it?" Katara let out a whimper and nodded. Now Mai understood, Katara was worried that Aang might never return, the same way every woman feels when their man is forced to go and fight. Mai knew what she had to do, even though she wasn't really comfortable with human contact. Slowly, she wrapped her arm around the waterbender and pulled her close. "You miss him, don't you?" she asked.

Katara couldn't hold back and buried her head in Mai's shoulder. Mai shivered when she felt tears begin to soak through her cloak, but said nothing. She began to gently rub the younger girl's back, trying to be as comforting as possible without being too awkward. It was harder than she thought. "I know how you feel, Katara." Katara looked up and asked, "You do?" Mai nodded, then gazed out at the moon. "When Zuko left to find his mother, I acted bored, but, deep down, I feared that he wouldn't come back." "How did you deal with it?" Katara asked her. Mai shrugged. "I don't really know," she said. She saw Katara's head droop and added, "I guess I knew that Zuko needed me as much as I need him, and that nothing would keep him from me."

Mai cupped Katara's chin and lifted her head up. She looked into her eyes to make sure the waterbender got her point. "Katara, the reason why I know Aang's fine, and why he's coming back is because he's actually a lot like Zuko." Katara shot the Fire Lady a death glare. "How can you compare Aang to him?" she shouted. "I'll admit, Zuko has changed since the war, but Aang only tried to save the world, not his so called honor!" Mai returned the waterbender's glare, but decided not to act on it. Instead, she merely asked, "Zuko has never shared his lineage with you, has he?" "He doesn't need to!" Katara screamed. "He's the Fire Lord, and comes from a long line of Fire Lords like Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai!" "That's only half of his family tree," Mai told her calmly. Katara looked at her with a confused look on her face. "What are you talking about?" "What I mean is that you only know Zuko's lineage through his father, but not his mother."

Mai wasn't sure if Zuko wanted her to reveal his relation to the Avatar, but she felt like she had to. She took a deep breath. "Zuko's maternal great grandfather was Avatar Roku." Katara's jaw dropped in shock. "I-I can't believe it!" she exclaimed. "It was a shock for me too, but it explained a lot of things about him. It explained why he was always so conflicted and found it so hard to do the right thing." Mai could tell Katara was having a hard time absorbing this, so she switched gears. "Look," she said. "Any idiot could see how much Aang loves you. He won't let himself get hurt so long as he has you because he knows how much it would hurt you if anything happened to him. He's a fighter, Katara. He'll be alright." Katara pulled away and said, "I should get some rest, Ty Lee will be getting back from standing watch soon." She stretched herself across the floor and closed her eyes. "Oh, and Mai?" she asked. "Hmm?" Mai said. "Thanks."

Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon


End file.
